A new company in the UK will create niche EVs

The three automotive firms have joined forces to create a “new power plant in the design, development and production of low-volume EVs” headquartered in Cornwall and the West Midlands. The new company, Watt EV Holdings Ltd, consists of the Cornish-based Watt Electric Vehicle Company (WEVC), a developer of Stalcom vehicle architecture from Worcestershire and R&D JSC Automotive.

The three firms will now work together as one organization to design, develop and sell low-volume electric vehicles for both the passenger and commercial sectors. It will also offer these services to third-party companies wishing to launch EV into small-scale production, which will save them from having to invest heavily in developing an individual platform and running a long-term development program for small products.

The partnership focuses on WEVC’s innovative PACES (Passenger and Commercial EV Skateboard) platform, a laser-cut structure with extruded aluminum elements that are fastened together using the cost-effective Stalcom ‘FlexTech’ bonding method – and is described as ‘low investment, low investment and light weight’. scalable ”. Watt Electric Vehicles says PACES can be deployed in EVs in almost any shape and size – “from sports cars to buses” – and can accommodate front, rear and all-wheel drive. The lithium-ion batteries in the design will come from an unnamed “first-tier” automotive supplier.

New CEO Neil Yates, founder and CEO of WEVC, said: “We have multiple suppliers of batteries and high-voltage components because our customers have a wide range of requirements for their vehicles, from last-mile delivery to commercial applications to to high-performance spas. Thus, the battery requirements provided by our platform range from 48-800 V. ”

As reported last year, Watt will build light commercial EVs for the domestic and export markets at a new plant in the West Midlands with an annual capacity of 5,000 units. It is said that the first of these vehicles (shown above) is being tested before detection in the third quarter of 2022 and the start date of production in 2024. It is described as a 3.5-ton “cab and chassis” that can accommodate a variety of body styles – including completely individual designs for niche use cases – on the rear. It will be offered with a selection of powertrains and batteries, and Wat also confirmed that a hydrogen fuel cell option is under development.

Meanwhile, at WEVC’s current headquarters in Cornwall, the firm will launch its Porsche 356 electric sports car, with the first deliveries scheduled later this year.

Also based on the PACES, the two-door rear-wheel drive sports EV is said to weigh less than 1,000 kg, despite a 40 kWh battery that claims 230 miles. It also accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in just over 5.0 seconds thanks to a mid-engined 161 hp engine. In 2023, Watt will open a new PACES-based passenger car plant in Cornwall with a capacity of 500 units, annually expanding its own line, producing new “cylinders” (or bodies). At this site, he will also build passenger electric vehicles for third parties.

Yates also told Autocar that announcements will soon be made about Watt’s first customers: “A strategic partnership with third parties should be published in the coming months to link our customers with advertising plans for their new products.” He also shared details of what the new company means for the UK car industry: “We will create more than 500 skilled jobs at our two sites as we increase production capacity to full speed by 2027.” He is joined by Paul Faithful, CEO of Potenza Technology in Coventry, and Bob Mustard, CEO of Stalcom, who joined Stalcom.